Make money not arthouse films: British PM tells industry

LONDON (AFP) - After a period of critical and commercial success, Prime Minister David Cameron has urged the British film industry to focus on making more mainstream movies to allow them to compete with Hollywood. Six months after the multi-billion-dollar grossing Harry Potter series came to an end, and almost a year after the low-budget film The King's Speech swept the Oscars, the British film industry is mulling over where its future lies. Cameron welcomed the 'incredible success' of recent years as he visited the Pinewood Studios on Wednesday, where the James Bond films, Margaret Thatcher biopic The Iron Lady and the latest Sherlock Holmes were shot. The prime minister said the industry currently contributes 4.2 billion pounds (S$8.3 billion) a year to the economy and an 'incalculable contribution to our culture' - but insisted it should 'aim even higher'.